One Horse Town
by luluswirly
Summary: After settling down in Jackson, Joel and Ellie are starting to feel too domestic. Ellie suggests (or whines, in Joel's opinion) that they go outside the walls again. While out on a supply run, Ellie comes across someone she never thought she'd meet...
1. The Beginning

I was running as fast as my legs would weave me through the gunshots and vulgar shouting. As I ran, my sore legs and burning lungs cursed me. I shouldn't have let my guard down so close to town, and I definitely shouldn't have been playing music for God's sake. Fuck.

 _We'd been in an old music store named 'Tuney Lunes' which Joel snickered at._

" _What's so funny?" I'd asked._

" _It's ahh... nothin'. TV Show from a long time ago."_

 _I nodded like I knew what he was talking about. What's a show…? I wondered._

Joel found some cover behind an old car and waved me over. Just as I crouched down next to him I heard a clank and a BOOM when a bomb exploded somewhere to my right.

" _Whoa, look at all these!" I'd said, pointing at the tall black boxes in the store window. "What do they do?"_

" _Those're called speakers. They'd play music real loud at a… party or somthin' so everyone could hear."_

" _So they're like huge Walkmans? Can we take one Joel?" She lifted one of the shelf with a grunt and hauled it over._

" _I don't-"_

" _Pleeeeease?"_

" _Fine. But you're carrying."_

He pushed me back against the rusty broken down car with his forearm to keep any shrapnel from hitting me. Sharp metal pieces whizzed past my face.

 _The heavy speaker dropped like a rock, making every instrument in the store echo._

" _Nevermind."_

 _Joel laughed. "I thought you might change your mind."_

 _I sighed. "Sure wish I coulda listened to one though. Sounds like a hell of a good time."_

 _Joel just smiled. Is she startin' to sound like me? He asked himself. Probably not. Must be somnthin' she picked up in Boston._

Once the smoke cleared, he signaled for me to go around and surprise attack the hunters while he waited there. At the beginning I was really bad at deciphering what he was trying to say. But now that I speak Joel a little better now, I can tell what he means. I nodded and tiptoed down the street, trying not to be seen and using old cars as cover while Joel distracted them. When I decided I was close enough, I pulled my hunting rifle from my backpack, slung it over my shoulder and aimed it at the crowd of hunters.

" _Now, who said you wouldn't get to listen?" he asked._

 _My face lit up. "Ohmygosh Joel this is gonna be so awesome!"_

 _I dashed over to the shelves looking for cassette tapes but only found weird silver discs. My face crumbled. "Guess we won't get to listen after all... Oh well." I was trying desperately to keep the disappointment from showing in my voice but failing miserably. But suddenly I heard a sound. Had Joel found some tapes?_

 _Sometimes I hate every single stupid word you say_

 _Sometimes I wanna slap you in your whole face_

 _There's no one quite like you_

 _You push all my buttons down_

 _I know life would suck without you_ _..._

I had a hunter in my sights, but before I could pull the trigger a pair of arms wrapped around me and pulled me back. I kicked and tried to bite him but one arm was around my neck pushing my chin up. I struggled, starting to lose consciousness before I remembered an old trick Joel had taught me - I rammed the butt of my rifle into his kneecap.

He screamed and dropped me and I fell against a car door, coughing and gasping for breath. When we recovered, we both realized at the same time that I had dropped my rifle between us.

I lunged for the gun, but he was too quick and kicked me in the stomach. He scooped up the rifle and pointed it at me, but froze when he saw my face.

"Anna…?" he asked hesitantly.

I looked up in shock, but before I could react, a fist came out of nowhere and knocked the gun out of his hands. Joel punched him again and the hunter was on the ground, holding a hand to his bloody nose. Joel picked up the rifle and aimed it at the man's face.


	2. Chapter 2

I jumped up and clung to Joel's arm, trying to pull his aim away from the hunter.

"No! Joel, stop!" I shouted. He looked at me, confused.

"What?" he asked. I walked over to the the hunter, trying to look threatening like Joel did when he fought hunters.

"Are you-" he started to ask.

"Shut up." I said, and he fell silent. I kicked him back and crouched on the ground next to him. "What's your name and how do you know my mom?"

He looked up in surprise. "It's Mark." He reached out and put and traced the scar over my eyebrow with his thumb. I flinched but I didn't move away, and I heard Joel growl threateningly behind me.

"And you look just like her…" he said, and pulled away, stealing a nervous glance at Joel. In that moment, I realized that his eyes were almost the exact same shade of green mine were. And with that nose, he could almost be…

"Holy shit," I whispered. "Are you my dad?"

Before anyone could say anything, Joel tackled me and gunfire flew over our heads.

"There they are!" I heard someone shout. Fuck, they found us.

The hunter, _my dad_ , looked between us and the other hunters and sighed.

"Alright," he said. "Let's get out of here."

"Sounds good to me," Joel grumbled as he started to aim his revolver but Mark pushed the gun down.

"They might be trying to kill you, but they're still my friends, and I am not about to murder them."

"Great! That's just fucking perfect!" Joel shouted. He stepped closer to Mark and made his voice threateningly low. "And just what are we gonna do when they start shootin' at us, huh? Just let them kill us? Kill _her_?"

"Guys-" I started.

Mark stepped back, holding his hands up. "Jesus man, calm down-"

"I'll calm down when you can tell me that my ki-" Joel stopped himself. "That she'll be safe." It didn't go unnoticed by Mark.

"Guys!" I shouted.

"Why do you care? And who the hell are you anyways?"

"None of your damn business, that's who!"

"Oh, I think it is my business! That's _my_ daughter!"

"Your daughter? You don't even know her name!

"GUYS!" I shouted. "Have you forgotten that we're being fucking attacked right now?! Get up off your asses and move it, you chickenshits!"

Both men turned to look at me in surprise, but I was already up and and hurling a brick behind another old car, trying to divert attention.

"This way!" Mark pointed to an alleyway. Suddenly a sharp pain shot through my left arm and I gasped in pain.

"Joel!"

He crouched down immediately to my side. "You okay?"

I shook my head and pointed to my arm, which was overflowing with blood like a broken faucet.

"Just hold on kiddo, we're almost outta here," he reassured me. I could hear what he wasn't saying. _We're in too much danger to patch you up right now._

I nodded. Another round of gunfire flew past our heads.

"Can you _please_ tell your buddies to stop shootin' at us?!" Joel yelled.

"Believe me, I couldn't if I wanted to. Especially not now that they've seen…" his eyes drifted down to me and back up again. "Uhhh… me helping you. They think I'm a traitor."

Joel grunted in annoyance and pulled me faster along the alleyway by my uninjured arm.

"Shoulda never left that fuckin' town," he grumbled.

"Wha- wait, what about him?" I asked.

"We're leavin'."

"What? No! We can't just le-"

"I _said_ we're leaving!" he repeated.

I pulled my arm away from him and stood my ground.

"He's my _dad_ , Joel."

He stopped in his tracks and turned to face me. As he turned I caught a glimpse of something in his hazel eyes. They were filled with anger and annoyance. But there was something else too. Was it… hurt?

He opened his mouth to argue but his eyes softened when he saw the look on my face.

"Fine," he said, obviously not fine. "He can come with us."

I couldn't keep my face from lighting up. I could keep my dad! And better yet, I had just won and arguement with Joel! Boo-ya!

Mark heard his cue and walked behind Joel. He gave me an uncertain smile as he passed. I smiled awkwardly back and gave a shrug that I hoped said 'That's just Joel for ya'. He snorted and gave me a real smile. But my own smile turned to a wince when I remembered the pain in my arm.

"Joel?" I ran up to him.

"Hmm?"

"You mind helping me with this hole in my arm?"

He blinked at me. "Sure, kid," he started rummaging through his pack. "Just gimme a sec…"

"Wait," said Mark. "I can do it." He pulled a pair of tweezers from my pocket and walked in front of me. I shot a nervous glance at Joel and backed up a few steps. Joel stepped in front of me.

"Hold on - how do I know you know what you're doin?"

"I sure as hell do. Lived in this hell hole as long as you have, buddy. I've stitched up a few bullet holes in my lifetime."

Joel hesitated and stared Mark down.

"Oh for God's sakes just get this over with already," I whined. I held out my bleeding arm put in front of me. Joel took in a sharp breath but said nothing.


End file.
